Visible index



Dec. R, FU LQ G VISIBLE INDEX Filed Nov. 26, 1929 INVENTOR jfalana 111 :1110)! Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED sTA'r s-t ATENT oFFrcE,

OLAND A. FURLONG, or ROCHESTER, nn'w'YoRR, ASSIGNORTO THE YAWMAN & ERBE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or 'RocHEsrnR, NEW YoRK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK VIsIRLR INDEX" Application filed November 26 1929. Serial No. 403,771.

Thisinvention relates to visible'index systems andisconcerned particularly with improvements in the means for mounting a card tray. One of the objects of the invention is to mount a tray for visible index cards hingedly on a slidable carrier, the parts being so related to the container for the tray that it may read- 11y: "bemoved in and out and when exposed can besupported conveniently for posting in a position most. convenient to the operator. Another object of=the invention is to provide in association with the supporting means mechanism? for automatically elevating the top card when the tray is-in working position 'so that the visible index cards can be more readily manipulated without interference by thetop card. This improved mechanism, conversely, insures the restoration of the top card to its normal position automati callywhenthe tray is moved back into its container. Another object of the invention is to simplify all of the parts which are associated for the purposes-indicated above reducing their costof manufacture and facili- 'tating their; assembly and disassembly while insuringythe most convenient operation in use. A further object of the invention is to improvethe construction ofa visible index cabinetin which the improved trays are supported slidably whereby the door for the cabinet itself may be employed to advantage as a shelf to support acard tray in the most convenient angular position when it is in use. .The improved cabinet, further, is fabricated from a plurality of metal parts so assembled and nested that they will be retained in their intended relation without the necessity of employing positive connecting devices or welding except for the shell of the cabinet itself.

These and other objects are attained by "which the supporting means for the trays are posit on and the relation between its support-,

. ing means and the top card.

Figure 4 is afragmentary view in-plan of the tray shown in Figure 8 and taken on the plane indicated by the line li of Figure 3, the supporting ways for the trayhanger being illustrated in section.

Thecabinet may be formed of an external shell (0 and within that maybe supported at each'side a series of pressed metal ways I) each one of which is formed with a longitudi described later.- Betweenea'ch of the ways is disposeda fiat partition 0. The number of such ways and partitions will equal the num-:

ber of trays to be mounted within thecabinet; At the front of the cabinet is provided an openlng to receive a vertically disposed door (Z which is hinged by pins cl at its lower edge so that it may be swung outwardly and downnally extending groove 6 for purposes to be wardly to expose the trays within. At the bottom ofthe cabinet at each sidethereof are disposed opposed channels 6 in which the pins (Z- may slide, when the door is slidinwardlyin horizontal position within a res ces s which is formed beneath the trays for that purpose. The front wall of the cabinet adjacent the opening provided for the door d may be flangedwith a reverse bend'as indicated at. a to constitute an end wall for the series of ways Z) and to limit the outward movementof the tray support as will be described later. One of the card trays is illustrated in Fig ure 2 at f. Afinger pull 7 may be provided at its front end. This tray at its rear end carries upstanding lugs f atopposite sides through which may pass retractible retaining. pins 9; The carrier for the tray is formedas a generally U-shapedwire frameh having reversely'bent legs h adapted to be received convenient working position. When the tray is to be restored to the cabinet it is raised to a horizontal position and moved rearwardly. When the lugs f on the tray engage the loops in the reverse bends of the carrier'h continued movement of the tray will force the carrier rearwardly in its supporting ways Z) to a point where the tray is completely housed. Contrariwise, when the tray is pulled forwardly for use the pins g will slide along the legs of.

the carrier it until the lugs f engage the forward bends in the 03.1'1181, whereupon continued movement of the tray will cause the carrier legs It to slide in the grooves b to the forward position indicated in Figure 4. This forward movement of the carrier is positively arrested by engagement of the ends of the legs h with the front wall a of the cabinet.

A further feature of the construction resides in the use of the door (Z as a shelf for supporting any one of the trays when withdrawn in desired working position. By dropping the door forwardly and downwardly to hori-' zontal position it can be slid rearwardly to a slight extent within the recesses provided for it in the cabinet where it is firmly heldas indicated in Figure 2. When a tray is then withdrawn it' can be lowered on'its hinged moved in and out.

support until it rests on the forward edge of the door d. Y

It is generally the practice to provide a top card for visible index trays which normally rests flat on the bank of cards to hold them snugly in position while the tray is being Such a top card is illustrated at 2' and is shown as pivoted on a cross rod 2', at the rear end of the tray. In accordance with the invention this top card is also formed with a forwardly extending flange 2' which is parallel to the top card 2'' but spaced therefrom as shown in Figure 2. The spacing of this flange i is such that when the tray is retracted the carrier it engages the flange 2' so that continued movement of the tray results in the top card i being thrown up from the visible index cards through the inter-engagement of the carrier h with the flange. The same action occurs when the tray is dropped to an angular position. In Figure 3 the top card is shown in normal position and the relation of the flange 91 to the carrier h is clearly indicated, the tray at this moment being in horizontal position. When the tray is dropped angularly it will be aptop card is permitted to drop by gravityinto its normal flat position on the index cards at which time the tray can be slid rearwardly into the cabinet.

It will be evident that changes in the details of construction can be made particularly in respect-to the character of the hinges and pivotsemployed and the precise form of carrier and its ways. Changes in design are to be deemed within the scope of the invention so long as they fall under the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. r A carrier for a slidable tray comprising I a horizontally disposed U-shaped member having reversely extending legs in the same plane therewith for movement in supporting ways. V

2. A carrier for slidable trays comprising a horizontally disposed U-shaped wire to support the tray and having its ends reversely bent to provide legs in the same plane to be slidably mounted in supporting ways.

In combination with a slidable tray, an integral U-shaped carrier to support the tray having opposed portions formed therewith and reversely bent at their ends for sliding engagement in ways and means to engage the tray hingedly with the carrier.

4. In combination with a slidable tray an integral U-shaped carrier to support the tray havingopposed portions reversely bent at their ends for sliding engagement in ways and releasable means to connect the tray hingedly and positively with the carrier.

This specification signed this 19th day of November A. D. 1929.

. ROLAND A. FURLONG 

